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General
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A valley turns into a farm
There are numerous indications that San (Bushmen), Dama
and Herero used the spring of Otjosongombe (OtjiHerero:
place of cattle) for centuries. The first European to
visit the valley, in 1851, is Swedish explorer Charles
John Andersson. During the battle of Waterberg, fought
by Herero and the German Schutztruppe on 11 August 1904,
Otjosongombe is also part of the scene of action. Later
on, when Herero who fled into all directions start to
trickle back, a transit camp is set up near the spring
and managed by missionary Olpp.
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Numerous
settlers from Germany arrive in the colony of German South
West Africa after the war. One of them is Friedrich von
Flotow, a grandson of the well-known composer. He buys
farm Otjosongombe in 1911 and clears some land, but despite
laborious efforts it barely feeds his family. His oldest
son, Adolf, takes over in 1952 and introduces cattle.
He dies childless in 1971 and his widow sells the farm.
Otjosongombe then changes hands another six times.
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A farm turns into a park
In 1991 Joachim Rust, a great-grandson of Friedrich, takes his wife Caroline to the former, now vacant family farm. For many years they are haunted by the dilapidated farmhouse with the delightful spring water basin and by the enchanted green valley among the red cliffs of Waterberg.
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Their dream becomes
true when they buy Otjosongombe in August 1999 in exchange for
the cattle farm which they are running at that time. They build
Waterberg Wilderness Lodge on the ruins of the old farmhouse
and welcome their first guests in May 2000. |
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More on the explorer
Charles Andersson at www.wikipedia.org |
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